"Aye, who?" agreed Ben.
Further discussion that night, or rather that morning, was then resolutely forbidden by Captain Stanley.
"It's time you both turned in," he declared. "We'll talk again later in the day. Now, away with you!"
Obeying orders, they both left the room and retired for a much-needed rest.
CHAPTER III
BEN HAS A BRAIN-WAVE
"What are you going to do about it, father?"
It was ten o'clock the same day. The captain had carried out his threat to get up and was reclining in an easy chair with his lame leg resting on a footstool. Dare was squatting on the floor beside him, and Ben, whom Martha had driven out of the kitchen, was hanging about in the background in the manner of a faithful watchdog. At Dare's question he pricked up his ears and waited for the captain's answer.
"I suppose you mean, what am I going to do about this assault?" the captain counter-questioned.
Dare nodded.